End housing assembly for railroad car draft gears



April 19, 1966 R. w. GIERLACH END HOUSING ASSEMBLY FOR RAILROAD CAR DRAFT GEARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1964 if; fm

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April 19, 1966 R. w. GIERLACH 3,246,770

END HOUSING ASSEMBLY FOR RAILROAD CAR DRAFT GEARS Filed Aug. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Shea?. 2

ff mm j; Tf M /vd wi a l JWM d@ 94W United States @Patent 3,246,770 END HOUSING ASSEMBLY FOR RAILROAD CAR VDRAFT-GEARS Robert W. Gierlach, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Standard Car Truck Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois f. Filed Aug. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 387,344

7 Claims. (Cl. 213-8) Thisinvention relates to railroad car draft rigging and has for one object to provide such a device which may be easily assembled, installed, serviced and maintained. Another object is to provide a special type of sliding draft gear end housing which will without the necessity of special coupler Shanks permit substantially increased travel Y.of the coupler and the draft gear under buiing forces. l Y Another Object is to provide a unit assembly including end housing, cushionV and keyed follower which vmay be assembled outside of the car and may Vthen-be inserted as a'unitina railroad car. l f This application is an improvementon co-pendingapplication 'Serial No. 231,772, filed, October 19, 1962, Patent 3,166,200issued January l9,1965 to ,Vernon A. Danielson and in theinterest of, simplification only' one end ofthe car is illustrated. v

Otherobjects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims. jlThe invention' Vis .illustrated more or less diagramrnatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein- FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal, horizontal part section, throughl an improved end housingl assembly showing itin place in oneend cfa railroad car;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section through FIGURE' l;

FIGURE 3 is a section along the line 3 3 of FIG- IFIGURIfE 4 is` a section Ialong the line 4-4 of FIG- URE lg' n v K- `FIGURE 5 is a detailplan view in part section of the endho-using'castingp. v '.QFIGURE 6 :is afsection along the lineV 6-6 -of FIG- f, AFIGURE7 is a side elevation of the end housing casting;

FIGURE A8 is-anoutboard end view of FIGURE 7;

,v FIGURE 9 isaninboard end view of FIGURE 7. v 4 Like partsare lindicated by like characters throughout thefspeciica'tion and drawings.

' For convenience, the end housing casting will first be described, ldrenthe rigging assembly and then its installation in a railroad car.

The end housinggcasting, FIGURES 5 to 9 inclusive, includes'a slightly taperedbase 1; extending longitudially from the base areJ vertical spaced straps dening side walls 2 and 3. Welded to the under sides of the straps extending from :adjacentvthe base to the outboard end of the housing .is4 an abrasion resistant steel floor plate 4. Extending longitudinally along theouter faces of the walls from a point just forward of the base to a point intermediate the ends of the hou-sing are reinforcing ribs. 5. At the outboard end of the-housing, the walls are thickened as at 6 and 7 in prolongation of the reinforcing ribs.

The thickened portion 6` is through lslotted at 8 and recessedon its outer fa-ce at 9 to receive a removable, key holding plate 10 which may be, held in position by cap screws as indicated. The thickened portion 7 is'slotted at 11 in opposition to and coextensive with the slot 8 but is outwardly closed. The walls 2 and 3 are through slotted at 12 and 13 between the reinforcing ribs in line with the narrower slots 8 and 11. The outer faces of the thickened f i wall sections 7 vand 8 are in thesame planes as the ou-ter 3,246,775@ Patented Apr. 19, 1966 ICC faces of the reinforcing ribs and are tied together at the top of the housing by a horizontal cross wall 14.

The inner face of the base 1 is concaved at 15 to receive-as will appear more clearly in FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive-a draft cushion 16 abutting a keyed follower 17, both of which rest -upon the floor plate 4. A coupler shank 18 is slotted at 19 to receive a coupler shank key 20 which engages slots 8, 11 and 19. The floor 4 at the open end of the end housing carries la wear plate 21 associated with adjustable shims 22 in a pocket 23 engaging the shank between the key 20 and the coupler head to permit vertical adjustment of the coupler shank to compensate for wear and maintain it in proper alignment with the 4axis of the end housing.

In assembly, outside of the railroad car, the cushion 16 and the keyed follower 17 are dropped into the housing from above to rest on the floor plate 4, the coupler shank is inserted through the open end of the housing to abut on the follower. The coupler key isfthen inserted in slots 8, 11 and 19 andthe holding plate-10 is locked in place. The end housing is thus assembled, ready as a unit to be inserted and keyed into a socketfor it at the end of the car.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive, the U-shaped 'center sill 25 extends longi-tudinally of the car, being outwardly tianged as at 26 and is supported on the body bolster 27 in the usual manner. Immediately above the body bolster is a cast longitudinally apertured guide block 28. In front of the bolster, an inboard supporting plate 30 is Welded Ito the lianges 26 extending forwardly therefrom but terminating short of the outboard end of the center sill. Adjacent the outboard end of the center sill an outboard supporting plate 31 is welded to the flanges 26. These two plates together with the center sill define a socket to receive the end housing.

Welded along` the opposite outer faces of the center sill at the outboard end of the car are outwardly anged longitudinally slotted reinforcing plates 32, the center sill Walls being cut away in register with t-he reinforcing slots to define key slots 33 in opposite walls of the center sill. In assembly, these key slots are in register with the slots 1'2 in the end housing and with the slot 34 in the keyed follower. l

`The housingassembly is inserted in the socket in the center sill at the end of the car and the key 35 is inserted to hold the center sill, the end housing, and the keyed 4follower together in working position. The mere insertion of this key is all that is necessary to hold the end hou-sing and associated parts together in draft and buff.

Draft movement, that is outward movement, of the end housing and its associated parts is arrested by the draft stops 36 carriedby the reinforcing plates 32 in the usual manner. AThe inboard ends of the slots 33 are closed by the flanges 37.

A push rod 38 may extend from end to end of the car, being slidably socketed at each end in the guide block 28` to abut outboardof the guide block against the end housing base and guided and aligned with the center axis of the sill as at 39. If desired, an auxiliary floating cushion such as disclosed in the co-pending application above referred to might be used in which case separate push rods will abut opposite ends of the cushion.

Where the outboard ends of the end housing side wall are exteriorly thickened, theirouter surfaces being par- ',allelv with the outer boundaries of the reinforcing ribs, the opposed vertical inner faces of the end housing walls are tapered increasing in thickness and then decreasing in thickness in more` or less hourglass form at the outer open extremity of the end housing. The resultant opposedclosely spaced surfaces provide clearance for the coupler shank. The axis of the ycoupler key slot, being approximately' in line with the narrowest space between 3 the two walls, thus making it possible for the coupler shank to rot-ate in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis passing through the constnicted area. Such angular movement of the shank being possible without exerting deleterious pressure on the end housing.

I claim:

i. In a draft gear rigging for railroad cars, an end housing having parallel vertically disposed spaced walls, an integral base closing the inboard end of thehousing, a floor plate extending'fro-m the base to the outboard end of the housing, a draft cushion abutting the base, a slotted keyed follower abutting the draft cushion, both supported by the floor plate -between the walls, a slotted coupler'shank abutting the outboard end ofthe keyed follower, a coupler `key in the coupler slot, one of the Walls being Vintei'iorly grooved to receive one end of the coupler key and vt-he other wall through slotted to "receive the^other end of the key, a removable 'plate masking theslot andinhibiting axial movement of the coupler key with respect to the end housing, both walls bengthrough'slotted in register with the slot'in the keyed follower,

a railroad car center sill socketed 'to receive the rend housing and means for'supporting the housing "slid- `'ably therein, yreinforcing .pla-tes on opposite sides `of the center sill, the plates and the center sill being sloted in register'vvith tlie'slot in the keyed follower and the housing wall, `a removable key extending through all said Ys lo'ts to limit slidable movement of the end housing, y p l draft lugs carried by said plates bounding the outer ends of the slots in the center sill.

2t In a draft gear rigging for railroad cars, an end housing having parallel vertically disposed spaced walls, anl integral base closing the inboard end of the housing, a floor plate extending'from the base to the outboard end of the housing, a draft cushion abutting'the base, a slotted keyed follower abutting the draft cushion, both supported by the floor plate between the wall, -a slotted coupler shank abutting the outboard end ofthe keyed follower, a coupler key in the coupler slot, one of the Walls being interiorly grooved to receive one end of the coupler key -and the other wall through slotted to receive the other end of the key, a removable plate masking the slot and inhibiting axial movement of the coupler key with respect to the end housing, both walls being through slotted n register with the slot in the keyed follower,

a railroad car center -sill socketed to receive the end housing and means for supporting the housing slidably therein, reinforcing plates on opposite sides of the center sill, the plates and the center sill being slotted in register with the slot -in the keyed follower and the housing walls, a removable key extending through all said slots to limit slidable movement of the end housing,

draft lugs carried by said plates bounding the outer ends of the slots in the cen-ter sill,

a push -rod abutting the end housing base extending longitudinally of the center sill and means for maintaining it in -alignment with and free to move with the end housing.

3. In a draft gear rigging for railroad cars, an end housing having parallel vertically disposed spaced walls, `an integral base closing the inboard end of the housing, a floor plate extending from the base to the outboard end of the housing, a draft cushion abutting the base, a slotted keyed follower abutting the draft cushion, both supported by the floor plate between the walls, a slotted 'coupler shank Iabutting the outboard end of the keyed follower, a coupler key in the coupler slot, one of the walls being interiorly grooved to receive one end of the coupler key and the other Wall through slotted to ,receive the other end of the key, a removable plate masking the slot and inhibiting axial movement of t-he coupler key with respect to the end housing, both walls being through slotted in register with the slot in the keyed follower,

a railroad car center sill socketed to receive the end housing and means for -supporting the housing slidably therein, reinforcing plates on opposite sides of the center sill, the plates and the center sill being slotted in register with the slot in the keyed follower and the housing walls, a removable -key extending through all said slots to limit slidable movement of the end housing,

the end hou-sing lrunits being higher at their outboard than at their inboard ends, means depending downw-ardly from the center sill toward the inboard end `of the housing a distance such that the clearance between the draft housing and the upper wall of the center sill is substantially thesarne, at Yboth ends of the housing throughout its entire excursion.

'4. An end housing casting for railroad car draftV gears including ar vertical base, parallel spaced verticalvside walls extendingfrom said base, the`walls'a'tlthe end v of the housing furthest removed from/the base lbein'g horizontally thickened, the walls being longitudinally through slotted betweenthe base and the thickened wall ends,

Vone thickened wall being interiorly longitudinally'gro-oved in alignmentjwit-h the 'through slot-in'said wall,the'other thickened wall being-through slotted in Aalignment with the slot in said wall, the slots and grooves .in the thickened Vwall being :vertically narrower "than the ythrough slots between the base andthe thick'e'nedwalls, l

S. ,An end housing (casting for railroad car'draft gears including la vertical base, vparallel (spaced vertical side walls extending from said base, the walls at the -end of the housing furthest removed from the base being horizontally thickened, the walls being longitudinallylthrough slotted between'the base and the thickenedwall ends, one thickened wall being interiorly longitudinally grooved in alignment rwith the through slot-in said wall, the other thickened wall being 'through slotted in alignment with the slot in `said wall, the slots and grooves in the thickened wall being vertically narrower than the through slots between the base and the thickened walls,

reinforcing ribs extending longitudinally -of the walls on both `sides of the through sl-ots, the -outer faces of the thickened walls-being in the same planes as the outer faces of the ribs. 6. An end housing castingf-or railroad Icar draft gears including la vertical base, parallel spaced vertical side walls extending from said base, the walls at the end of the housing furthest removed from the base being horizontally thickened, the walls being longitudinally through slotted between the base and the thickened wal-l ends, one thickened wall being interiorly longitudinally grooved in alignment with the through slotin said wall, the other thickened wall being through slotted in alignment with the slot in said wall, the slots and grooves in the thickened wall being vertically narrower than the through slots between the base and the thickened walls,

reinforcing ribs ext-ending longitudinally of the walls on both sides of the through slots, the outer faces of the thickened walls being in the same planes as the outer faces of the ribs,

the horizontal distance between the thickened wall ends being a minimum adjacent the mid-point of the thickened ends and increasing gradually forwardly and rearwardly to the thickness of the reinforced wall.

7. An end housing casting for railroad car draft gears including :a vertical base, parallel spaced vertical side walls extending from said base, the walls at the end 0f the housing furthest removed from the base being horizontally thickened, the walls being longitudinally through slotted between the base and the thickened wall ends, one thickened wall being interiorly longitudinally grooved in alignment with the through slot in said wall, the other -thickened wall being through slotted in alignment with the `slot in said wall, the slots and grooves inthe thickened 5 wall being vertically narrower than Ithe through slots between the base `and the thickened Walls,

the through slotted thickened Wall being recessed in register with the slot and a removable cover plate in s-aid recess making a portion of the slot. 5

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1930 Lehman 213-7 6 Geiger 213-7 Hicks Z13-50.5 Lounsbury 213-7 Wilson 213-60 Packard Z13-50.5

Danielson 213-8 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A DRAFT GEAR RIGGING FOR RAILROAD CARS, AN END HOUSING HAVING PARALLEL VERTICALLY DISPOSED SPACED WALLS, AN INTEGRAL BASE CLOSING THE INBOARD END OF THE HOUSING, A FLOOR PLATE EXTENDING FROM THE BASE TO THE OUTBOARD END OF THE HOUSING, A DRAFT CUSHION ABUTTING THE BASE, A SLOTTED KEYED FOLLOWER ABUTTING THE DRAFT CUSHION, BOTH SUPPORTED BY THE FLOOR PLATE BETWEEN THE WALLS, A SLOTTED COUPLER SHANK ABUTTING THE OUTBOARD END OF THE KEYED FOLLOWER, A COUPLER KEY IN THE COUPLER SLOT, ONE OF THE WALLS BEING INTERIORLY GROOVED TO RECEIVE ONE END OF THE COUPLER KEY AND THE OTHER WALL THROUGH SLOTTED TO RECEIVE THE OTHER END OF THE KEY, A REMOVABLE PLATE MASKING THE SLOT AND INHIBITING AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE COUPLER KEY WITH RESPECT TO THE END HOUSING, BOTH WALLS BEING THROUGH SLOTTED IN REGISTER WITH THE SLOT IN THE KEYED FOLLOWER, A RAILROAD CAR CENTER SILL SOCKETED TO RECEIVE THE END HOUSING AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE HOUSING SLIDABLY THEREIN, REINFORCING PLATES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE CENTER SILL, THE PLATES AND THE CENTER SILL BEING SLOTTED IN REGISTER WITH THE SLOT IN THE KEYED FOLLOWER AND THE HOUSING WALL, A REMOVABLE KEY EXTENDING THROUGH ALL SAID SLOTS TO LIMIT SLIDABLE MOVEMENT OF THE END HOUSING, DRAFT LUGS CARRIED BY SAID PLATES BOUNDING THE OUTER ENDS OF THE SLOTS IN THE CENTER SILL. 